Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 162

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**

**Chapter 162: The Orphanage’s Event**

**Lucky Draw**

In the days that followed, Riley found herself nestled in the comfort of Sebastian’s villa, a sanctuary where she could allow her arm to mend. To her, the injury felt trivial—a mere scrape, hardly worth a second thought. Yet, for Sebastian, it was as if she had sustained a grievous wound.

He took it upon himself to tend to her needs with an almost obsessive care. Each day, he meticulously changed her bandages, ensuring they were clean and snug. He adjusted her meals, bringing her favorite dishes, and even rearranged his entire schedule to accommodate her healing process. It was undeniably excessive, but there was something undeniably comforting about it. His attentiveness wrapped around her like a warm blanket, making her feel… seen, valued, and cherished in a way she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

As the week unfolded, the scab formed, a testament to her body’s resilience. The pain had dulled to a manageable throb, and she found herself moving with increasing ease. Just as she was beginning to feel like herself again, an unexpected envelope arrived—a simple piece of stationery from the orphanage they had visited during their trip to the island.

Inside, a small card bore messy, uneven handwriting that seemed to dance across the page:

“Ms. Anderson, I hope you’ll come see my performance.
-Nora Wells.”

Riley’s heart fluttered at the mention of Nora, the same little girl she had pulled from the water that fateful day. The memory was vivid, and the thought of the child brought a smile to her face.

“Are you planning to go?” Sebastian asked, his gaze flickering to the invitation with curiosity.

“Absolutely,” Riley replied, her voice firm with determination. She wanted to see how Nora was doing, to witness the joy of the performance that had been promised.

“Then I’m coming along,” Sebastian declared, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. For him, it seemed, wherever she ventured, he would follow without question.

The weekend arrived, and they made their way to the orphanage’s event, only to be met with an unexpected sight—Bella and Bryce were already there, mingling among the crowd.

“Riley? What are you doing here?” Bryce’s voice was laced with surprise, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Didn’t realize you were the owner of this place,” Riley replied coolly, a hint of sarcasm lacing her words.

Bryce’s expression darkened, his demeanor shifting as he glared at her. “I already confirmed the truth. Bella was the one who saved me, not you. I’d appreciate it if you stopped spreading those pathetic lies.”

His words hung in the air, thick with tension. He turned to Sebastian, his tone dripping with condescension. “Mr. Torres, I hope you realize who you’re really dealing with. Don’t let her fool you.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd, a wave of shock washing over the attendees. Bella’s face drained of color as she turned towards the source of the accusation.

“You better have proof before you throw out accusations like that,” she snapped, her composure faltering. “If you don’t, I’ll sue you for slander.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” the reporter responded calmly, his demeanor unshakeable. “But before I came here today, I received an anonymous message.”

He paused, letting the tension build before continuing. “It claims you stood by and watched your colleague burn… and that you walked away instead of helping. That he died because of your inaction.”

As he spoke, he held up his phone for the audience to see, then handed it to Bella, who stared at the screen, her face paling further. Though she maintained a facade of calm, inside, panic churned violently.

Who had sent this? Who could possibly know the truth of that day?

“The number was a burner,” the reporter added, his voice steady. “Untraceable. I’m not here to smear your name. I just want the truth. Can you clarify what really happened, Ms. Sinclair?”

Bella took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. Among the attendees were donors, community leaders, and members of the media—her carefully buried past was unraveling right before their eyes, and she felt the weight of their scrutiny pressing down on her.